Memory Lane

This morning has dawned with a poignant awareness of my guides.  It has been some time since I have felt their presence so strongly with me.  There have been many thoughts in my mind, including the life story of Vincent Van Gogh, who is one of my favorite painters, simply because he was the very first painter I read about.  I read his biography when I was perhaps fifteen and felt an attachment to him which went beyond the words that describe his life.  As I read about the various stages his life took, I actually saw him and he felt very familiar. I remember crying when the book told how he was so entranced, by the poor people among whom he lived, he cut off his ear to show his level of caring.  I remember my mother saying, if the book is making me that sad why don't I stop reading it. I could not.   

Why did he come up for me this morning? What is the lesson folded within those memories for me to cull at this time, and thereby grow?  Along with those memories came the one of the time the complete collection of Van Gogh's work was shown at the Brooklyn Museum.  How upon braving the crowd to see this wonderful exhibition, I met a new friend who remained my friend for many years, until my travels severed the contact.  He, my friend, was such a faithful friend, who never forgot my birthday and always honored special occasions with flowers. He is very dear. At the time, put it down to extreme youth, I took all that affection as my due and never said how much it all meant to me. The truth is, it did not mean that much at the time. I was surrounded by people who displayed their affection, he was just one among many.  For all those who displayed love and affection to me, during any phase of my growing, I am grateful.

Perhaps that is the lesson, to gain a new sense of appreciation for all the gifts that have paved the path I took to this moment. They were many, some pleasant, some exciting, some hidden in the folds of unpleasantness and some that only hindsight has revealed to be gifts.  But each and every interaction has contributed to my being here this morning, alive, well and full of the grace of Almighty God.  All of that is inviting me to look at the flowers strewn on my daily path and accept that, for reasons of my own, they were created and within their creation stands the eternal being that I am thrilling to the pulse of my innate creativity.

Today I am truly grateful for my life.